Reverse suspension of MPs – Minority Caucus to Speaker.

The Minority Caucus has rejected the two-week suspension of three of its members from Parliament for their alleged involvement in the chaotic acts that disrupted the vetting of ministerial appointees last Thursday.

In a statement dated January 31, 2025, the Minority called on the Speaker of Parliament to immediately reverse the decision, saying the affected Members of Parliament (MPs) were not given an opportunity to be heard.

It added that the Speaker’s decision to suspend the MPs without first exhausting internal disciplinary mechanisms set a dangerous precedent for Parliament, adding, “It signals an era where the Speaker can arbitrarily punish MPs based on perceived disobedience, rather than adherence to parliamentary rules and fairness”.

It alleged that the Speaker himself had, on numerous occasions, presided over a Parliament where similar or worst incidents occurred, yet no such punitive measures were taken.

“The refusal to apply the same standard in previous instances makes this decision appear politically motivated, aimed at intimidating certain Members of Parliament and curbing dissent.

“Why then does he choose, at this moment, to impose harsh and selective punishment?

This inconsistency undermines his credibility as a neutral arbiter and exposes a worrying bias that must be called out.

“If this unjustifiable action is not addressed, it will set a precedent where the Speaker becomes an unchecked authority, weaponizing disciplinary measures against those who do not align with his preferred political narratives,” the statement said.

The Minority Caucus further argued that the Speaker’s approach “disregards the fact that Parliament is a House of debate, sometimes heated, and Members have a duty to ensure that due process is followed”

It added that the Speaker’s role is to facilitate dialogue and order, and not to punish lawmakers for standing their ground in the face of procedural unfairness.

Meanwhile, a former member of parliament for Tamale Central Hon.Inusah Fuseini has disclosed that the speaker has the power to suspend a member of parliament for disorderly on the floor of the house but the power to suspend is limited to only four days so the speaker has the power to suspend but has the speaker has the power to suspend a member of parliament in a committee who has misbehaved there is no order that dear with that.